Murder in a Garden
by Moonspun Dragon
Summary: Sherlock gets a text from Lestrade that leads him and John into the English country side. There they meet two gardeners. Non Slash!
1. The Case

A/N: This is the other plot bunny that was growing in my head. And it won't stop! In this chapter, the murder has already been committed. In the next one, it has yet to be committed. Enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Sherlock_ or _Rosemary & Thyme_.

Chapter 1: The Case

**Texts received: (1)  
**_Sherlock, need ur help- G. L._

"What is it, Sherlock?" John asked.

"Finally a case," Sherlock answered, as he texted Lestrade back: _Where?_

It had been three weeks since the last case. During those three weeks, it actually seemed like a year to John, Sherlock had managed to put new bullet holes in the walls, nearly burned down the flat twice in one day, almost broke up John and Sarah's relationship, managed to cut sections out of the sitting room carpet with a butter knife- spoon combination, and almost succeeded in getting John fired. Understandably, John was on the verge of leaving his friend and finding a new flat.

John sighed, relieved. "Thank goodness. Where?"

Sherlock was already reaching for his coat and scarf. "Near Kent."

John stood and reached for his own coat. He opened his mouth to ask for specifics, but instead asked, "Do you know who's with him?"

"Anderson and Sgt. Donovan are most likely with him," Sherlock answered.

He headed out of the sitting room with John on his heels. Once on the ground floor, Sherlock stopped outside Mrs. Hudson's flat and, to John's surprise, knocked. When Mrs. Hudson opened the door, Sherlock informed her, without preamble, that he and John were leaving for the country. Then without waiting for a response, Sherlock breezed out the door. John gave Mrs. Hudson an apologetic look, then followed Sherlock just as he got in a waiting cab.

End of Chapter 1

A/N: Please tell me what you think. I hope you enjoyed. :D


	2. Rosemary & Thyme

A/N: Okay, just remember that the murder hasn't happened yet in this chapter. Enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Sherlock _or _Rosemary & Thyme_.

Chapter 2: Rosemary & Thyme

"So we're moving the roses here?" Larua asked.

Rosemary looked up at the indicated spot, then down at the chart in her hands. "Yes, I think that's right, then we move the lillies around the edge, except here," she gestured in between where the rose currently were. "Then we plant the pansies were the lillies were."

Laura moved to where Rosemary stood and looked at the flowerbed. "That would be a pretty effect."

"No doubt the colorswould be pretty," Rosemary agreed. "All right, might as well get started." They turned and started for the wagon, when they heard their names being called. They stopped and turned. A young woman was approaching them.

"Hello, Loren" Rosemary greeted when the other was near enough.

Loren smiled. She was nearly thirty- five, but looked younger. She was pretty and slim, she wore black jeans and a white T- shirt. Her long, straight, black hair was gathered in a ponytail. "Hello, I was wondering if you and Laura figured something out yet."

"We have, except, what do you want to replace the roses with?" Laura asked.

Loren Forrester looked at the bed and sighed. "Umm, I was kind of thinking about putting in a walkway, that leads to the rest of the garden, but I'm not sure of that, yet."

"Does Jack have an opinion?" Rosemary asked.

Loren snorted. "Yeah, sure. All Jack would care about is the cost. Frankly, I'm surprised he has even allowed me to redecorate the house and garden."

"Well, if you decide against the walkway, we could always plant irises, or something," Laura said.

"Yes. Okay, I'll decide soon," she glanced at her watch, "Right, I better be off, then. I'm supposed to pick up some tiles for the kitchen. See you later." She, then, headed back the way she came.

"Something's not right," Rosemary said, as they made their way to the wagon.

Laura looked at her. "What's wrong?"

Rosemary looked over her shoulder at the younger woman's retreating back. "She doesn't seem as happy anymore."

Rosemary's parents had been friends with Loren's parents. Eventually, Rosemary had kept an eye on Loren when her parents came to visit.

"Loren had always been a happy child," Rosemary explained, "She always seemed to have a smile on her face. Now, it seems as though that smile is being forced."

"Maybe she's just anxious for this project to be over," Laura suggested.

Rosemary didn't respond.

* * *

Laura sighed, grateful to relax at the end of the day. She had begun shuffling the flowers in that bed, while Rosemary created flower beds on the other side of the house, which would be the Victorian Garden and would be located near a lake on that side of the house. Now, they gat to relax for the evening.

"How was Loren as a child?" Laura asked.

Rosemary, who sat on her bed, looked up from her book, then at Laura, slightly sartled. "As I said earlier, she was a happy child, pretty mischiveous, but always eager to cheer someone up."

"How did she meet Jack?"

"School, I think. I was teaching at Uni at the time, I can't really remember," Rosemary closed her book and placed it aon the bed side table that was in between her bed and Laura's. "I'll turn out the lights, then?" At Laura's nod, Rosemary pulled the cord.

Instantly, the room was immersed in darkness.

End of Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, I may have gone a bit OOC. I hope you enjoyed! :D


	3. Murder

A/N: This chapter is still with Rosemary and Laura. Things pick up. Enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own _Sherlock _or _Rosemary & Thyme_.

Chapter 3: Murder

Rosemary jerked awake. She blinked in the darkness, trying to listen for whatever had woken her. She then heard a faint scream. rosemary hopped out of bed, grabbed robe, and shook Laura.

"Laura," she whispered.

Laura woke with a start. "What? What's wrong?" She glanced at the clock and groaned, "Rosemary, it's three- thirty in the morning."

"Laura, I thought I heard someone screaming. Come on!" With that, Rosemary left the room. Laura sighed, got up and grabbed her own robe and followed Rosemary, muttering something about how Rosemary always "thinks" she hears screaming. By the time Laura stood in the hallway, Rosemary was already at the end of it, waiting for Laura to arrive.

"Do you even know where it was coming from?" Laura whispered, as soon as she stopped next to Rosemary.

She nodded. "It sounded like it was coming from outside."

"Right, then do you have a torch?" Laura asked.

Rosemary waved a torch over her shoulder in answer. _Fine, then,_ Laura thought. She took the torch out of her friend's hand and took the lead. Once outside, she asked, "Which way?"

"It sounded like it had come from the Victorian Garden," Rosemary said.

Rosemary stepped around Laura and headed to the soon- to- be Victorian Garden. Laura followed. Soon, she stopped abruptly to keep from running into Rosemary, who had stopped suddenly.

"What-?" Laura started to ask, but the question died on her lips, as she stepped around Rosemary and the torchlight shone on Loren, who appeared dead with her throat slashed. Her blood was pooled around her and had already started to soak into one of the flowerbeds that Rosemary had dug yesterday.

"It's Loren," Rosemary said, slowly.

Laura turned back to her friend and handed her the torch, "Go call the police. I'll stay here."

Rosemary hesitated for a second, then started to run back to the house. Laura stepped around the soft, impressionable, newly turned earth, until she came to a spot where she could crouch and check for a pulse while not trampling any footprints or other evidence that might already be there. Laura crouched and reached for Loren's left wrist, the one that was closest to her. _Dead_, Laura thought, sadly.

She was about to take her fingers away, when Loren's hand grabbed hers. Laura let out a startled yelp, then she hears a raspy voice. "Loren?" she leaned forward some more. "Hold on, Loren. Rosemary is getting help." Laura gripped Loren's hand. Loren's right hand spasmed.

"Laura..." the dying woman rasped. Running footsteps sounded behind Laura.

Laura tried to block out the footsteps. "What is it, Loren?"

Loren struggled to say something, but she couldn't. Finally, she gave a ragged sigh. She wouldn't be speaking anymore. Laura stared at the body, shocked.

"Laura?" Rosemary came to her side. "What's wrong?"

"She was still alive," Laura said, slowly.

"Did she say anything?" a man said. He had short dark hair, and black eyes.

Laura looked up at the familiar- looking man. She stood and said, "I couldn't really hear." she stepped closer to Rosemary.

Rosemary turned her head away from the body and said, in a steady monotone, "The police will be here soon. They called Scotland Yard. a D. I. Lestrade will be here by morning. Local police will be holding down the fort until he and his team arrive."

End of Chapter 3

A/N: So it begins. I hope you enjoyed! :D


	4. First Meeting of Sorts

A/N: Hello. I'm sorry for the long updates I had hit a block with a future chapter, but I had already written this chapter and the next chapter. This chapter will be the chapter, almost everyone will meet. Enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Sherlock _or _Rosemary & Thyme_.

Chapter 4: First Meeting of Sorts

After they were questioned and received the warning about not going too far, Rosemary and Laura trudged back to their room and changed. They knew they weren't going to get any more sleep that night. By morning, the Yarders came and took over.

Rosemary had sent Laura to the nursery to get the plants they needed for the Victorian garden, while she rearranged a few plants in the bed they had been working on before creating the flower- turned- death bed where Lauren died.

"Ms. Boxer, DI. Lestrade would like a word," a female voice said.

Rosemary blinked and looked up. The woman was younger than Rosemary and wore a skirt that ended right below her knees, with a white blouse and black jacket. "Okay."

Rosemary stood and wiped her hands on her cargo pants, leaving streaks of dirt. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was nearly noon. How was it that time seemed to fly by now, when this morning it seemed to go in slow motion?

She was jarred from her thoughts by a low curse uttered by her escort. "What the heck is _he_ doing here?"

Rosemary looked in the same direction as the woman and saw two men exit a cab. One was taller than the other and had dark, curly hair, while the other man looked about a foot shorter than his friend and had blondish- brown hair.

The dark haired man immediately made his way toward Rosemary and her escort, while the shorter man paid the cab fare, then caught up to his friend.

"Come on," the woman growled, her voice dripped with sharp irritation. She commenced to set a faster pace.

If she had hoped to out- pace the two men, she was greatly disappointed. "Running only makes you look guilty, Sally," the taller man said, as he matched their pace.

"Guilty of what, exactly, Freak?" Sally spat out.

"You should really break up with Anderson. Adultery really doesn't suit you, Donovan," he responded, calmly.

"How do you know I'm still-? Never mind," Donovan lifted a walkie that she held in one hand and said sharply, "Freak's here."

Rosemary shot a glance at the two men. The one being called "Freak" didn't seem to mind it and he, also, seemed to like annoying Sally.

The other man looked at his friend and asked, "So, how do you know Sgt. Donovan is still seeing Anderson?"

Donovan's eyes flashed to Rosemary, who returned her look with a raised eyebrow. There was a delighted gleam in the younger man's blue- grey eyes. "Her skirt," he said, simply.

A smirk appeared on his face as the other man and Rosemary looked at him. "Her skirt?"

"Ah, John, you see, but don't _see."_

"What now, Sherlock? If you're harassing Donavon, I will pull you off this case," the D.I. said, as he ducked under the police tape.

"You can't pull me off. You need me," Sherlock answered, smugly.

D.I. Lestrade glared at him. "Yes, and I'm regretting calling you already." Lestrade turned to Rosemary. "Ms. Boxer, if you would wait here?" He gave Donovan a sharp glance.

She nodded, understanding the silent order.

Lestrade turned, lifted the tape so that he, Sherlock, and John could duck under. The D. I. lead them to where the body still lay, explaining as they went.

"Who are they?" Rosemary asked.

"They are Sherlock Holmes and his 'friend' Dr. John Watson."

End of Chapter 4

A/N: Next chapter we will be back to "the boy's" POV. :D Please let me know how you liked it. I hope you enjoyed. :D


	5. Crime Scene

A/N: Yes another chapter. I did say that I had written these few out before hand. :D Now we go back to "the boys'." Enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I don not own either _Sherlock _or _Rosemary & Thyme_.

Chapter 5: Crime Scene

The victim had been pretty, John though. He watched Sherlock walk around the body, analyzing everything his eyes saw. Sherlock dropped to one knee beside the woman's head and touched a sleeve. He was about to rise, when his sharp eyes caught on something next to her.

As he was still looking at whatever had caught his attention, Sherlock asked, "Who found her?"

Lestrade inclined his head to where the woman Donovan was escorting and Donovan herself were standing outside the police tape. Ms. Rosemary Boxer and her friend Mrs. Laura Thyme. They're landscapers. Ms. Boxer, apparently knew the victim."

Sherlock raised his head and looked at Lestrade with a bored expression on his face. "She didn't kill her, Lestrade."

Lestrade ignored him. "So what have you got?"

Sherlock stood. "What do you think, John?"

John raised an eyebrow at Lestrade, who just rolled his eyes and gave a slight nod. John knelt beside the body and gave a cursory examination. "C. O. D. throat' been slashed," he held up a hand to stop Sherlock's insults, "I know, Sherlock. I have to state the obvious. No other signs of violence on the body. Visible sign, that is."

"She was dragged," Sherlock said, in monotone.

"Dragged?" Lestrade asked.

Sherlock pointed to the heels of her shoes. "Caked with dirt, that and the drag marks made in the grass and dirt. Almost completely obliterated by the local force. The wound was caused by a knife, with a serrated edge, probably a kitchen knife. You're, also, looking for a man."

"How can you tell that?" Lestrade asked.

Sherlock indicated the wound. "The depth and the angle. If a woman had done it, the slash would be a tad bit shallower, and the angle would be different."

"What's he doing here?" a slightly whiny voice complained.

"Anderson," Sherlock greeted, turning around, "I thought I smelled your deodorant."

Anderson scowled. "He's contaminating evidence."

Lestrade glared at him. "Shut up, Anderson. He's here at our request."

Anderson visibly restrained himself from doing anything rash, then pointed at a few furrow- looking marks that were visible under her hand. "She was named her killer."

Sherlock sighed and gripped both sides of his head. "I think my brain lost five cells when Anderson said that." Anderson opened his mouth. Sherlock groaned. "There go two more."

"That's enough, girls," Lestrade said, irritated. He, then, turned to Sherlock and asked, "What are the marks, then, Sherlock?"

"A name."

"I told you," Anderson sneered.

Sherlock glared at Anderson. "But not her killer's name," he turned back to Lestrade, "Who was the one who stayed with the body?"

"Um," Lestrade pulled a small notebook out and flipped it through it. "Mrs. Thyme did."

Sherlock glanced around. "She doesn't seem to be-" he cut himself off. He was looking toward the driveway.

John followed his gaze and saw a rather old green station wagon just pulling in. He brought his gaze back to Sherlock, who was already starting toward the wagon. "Sherlock, what are you doing?"

Sherlock smiled as he looked over his shoulder at John. "I'm going to help a lady, John."

End of Chapter 5

A/N: Wow, I must have just seen ASIP. I have started moving past my block for the next chapter, so we'll see how it turns out. I hope you enjoyed. :D


	6. Laura, Meet Sherlock

A/N: This is, obviously, the sixth chapter. Enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own either _Sherlock _or _Rosemary & Thyme._

Chapter 6: Laura, Meet Sherlock

Laura gave a startled yelp as the she lost her grip on a potted fern she had been holding.

It came to a sudden stop in mid- air. "Careful," a deep masculine voice cautioned.

Laura looked up at the young man holding the pot. "Thank you. Could you set it on the trolley?" As he did so, Laura noticed another man beside him. "May I ask who you are? You don't look like police."

"We're not," the older man said. "I'm John Watson and this is-"

The younger man cut him off. "You would know."

Laura gaped at him. "Know what?"

"What a policeman would look like."

"How do you know?" Laura asked.

"Sherlock," John hissed warningly.

Sherlock smiled slightly, completely ignoring the other man. "You were married to a policeman, but was recently divorced. Probably, because he had been cheating on you with a much younger woman."

"Sherlock!" John said sharply.

Laura just stared at Sherlock, her mouth open. Sherlock opened his mouth, but John interrupted before he could say anything. "And this very inconsiderate sod," here he glared at the taller man, "is Sherlock Holmes. We aren't the police, but they consult Sherlock."

"How did you know about my divorce?"

Sherlock sniffed. "It is glaringly obvious," he gestured to her left hand and said, "The skin where your wedding ring once sat is slightly more pale than the rest of your skin and there is a faint indentation from said ring and since it takes approximately three years for the indention to fade completely disappear, and this one is just beginning to fade, would suggest this was recent."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Thyme," John apologized, still glaring at Sherlock, who was staring at Laura unrepentantly.

Laura blinked in shock, then narrowed and started to walk away, pulling the trolley behind her. Sherlock and John followed.

"What do you want?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Just want to ask you a few questions," John replied. He pulled out a notebook and pencil from his pocket.

"What did the victim-" Sherlock began without preamble.

Laura had stopped and turned to face the two men following her. Both she and John interrupted with, "Loren."

Sherlock's grey- blue eye's flicked from Laura to John, then back again. "Loren," he corrected himself slowly, then continued. "say to you?"

Laura met his gaze and answered, "I don't know. I couldn't hear her. I bent down to try and hear what she was saying. When I did, she noticed me and said my name. I told her to be quiet, but she kept saying my name. As the others came running, I asked her what she was saying, she tried to tell me, but it was too late. She died."

John looked up from his notebook and saw the sadness in her eyes. He opened his mouth to comfort her, but Sherlock spoke first. "Was her right hand moving at all?"

Laura's eyes became vacant as she thought back. She slowly started to shake her heads, but then stopped and turned her head shake into a nod. "It was. I thought it was just spasming. The movements were jerky."

Sherlock smiled. "Did anything else happen that would be considered odd?"

Laura shook her head. "I don't remember clearly. Sorry."

John looked up from his notebook again and asked, "Did Loren have any family beside her husband?" Sherlock looked at him. His eyes betraying how impressed he felt.

"Again, I don't know, but Rosemary does. She knew her since Loren was small."

Sherlock's eyes had dimmed with disappointment, but brightened again at the thought of someone knowing. He walked past Laura, leaving both her and John exchanging glances. They followed.

End of Chapter 6

A/N: Yay! This chapter is finally completed! *jumps for joy* I hope you enjoyed! :D


	7. More Questions

A/N: I'm sorry for the long delay, but this chapter was murder to write and I am _so_ not happy with the outcome. Enjoy! :D

Chapter 7: _More Questions_

Rosemary raised an eyebrow as she saw her friend working with two familiar men.

"Hello, Mr. Holmes, Dr. Watson," she greeted.

Both men raised their heads. Holmes shot her an almost bored look. Dr. Watson flashed her a smile and stood. "We wanted to ask you something."

"Okay. What?"

Sherlock stood in front of her and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Did Loren have any other family beside her husband?"

Rosemary blinked once. "Uh, yes. Her brother, Peter Stirling."

"Do you remember his reaction after learning about his sister's death?" John asked, coming to stand beside his colleague.

Rosemary slightly raised an eyebrow. "No, not particularly. Why?"

Sherlock just smiled and said, "No reason." He, then, turned and walked away.

"Thank you for you time, Ms. Boxer," John said, then followed Sherlock.

When he caught up with Sherlock, John asked, "What was the point about asking about the brother's reaction?"

Sherlock shrugged. "Maybe nothing. We will see."

* * *

"Where were you?"

"The DI wanted to see me. Did you find anything interesting?"

Laura straightened up and said, "No, nothing, really. Have you?" She bent down again and pulled the rocks back from the rhododendron. "About Loren's death, I had talked to Jack after we had taken the job. He had let slip that the company wasn't doing well anymore and that he had been planning to sell, something Loren hadn't approved of."

Laura looked at her friend and raised an eyebrow. "Do you think-?"

Rosemary cut her off, shaking her head. "No, of course not. Jack loved Loren dearly."

Laura looked at her slightly disbelievingly, "Men have killed their wives that they 'loved' before."

"Laura, now is not the time to be telling one of your ghasly stories," Rosemary said, rolling her eyes.

"They are not ghastly stories, they are ghastly facts," Laura countered, as she watched Holmes and Watson approach Peter. "What do you make of those them?"

Rosemary followed Laura's gaze. "I find Holmes to be a bit arrogant, but his friend is decent."

Laura nodded her head in agreement. "At least he tries to control his friend."

"Why does it seem to me that controlling Sherlock is a nearly impossible task?" Rosemary asked, turning her head to look at her friend.

At he same time, Laura met Rosemary's gaze with her own pointed look. In the distance, a fight had broken out between Peter and Sherlock with the Yarders and John attempting to break it up.

End of Chapter 7

A/N: I'm, also, sorry for the choppyness and if Rosemary seems a bit too... thick. I hope you enjoyed. :D


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